RECIPE: Cheesecake
As with so many of the recipes that we do at Cookery School, this one comes from Rosalind’s mother. It was always a firm family favourite because it is cheesey but also light and not overly sweet.
PASTRY
- 315g flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 125g butter
- 1 egg, beaten
- Pinch of salt
- 100ml sour cream
CHEESE CAKE FILLING
- 250g curd cheese or ricotta
- 250g cream cheese or mascarpone
- 50ml double cream
- 4 eggs, separated into yolks and whites
- 75g sugar
- 1 lemon, both zest and juice
- 1 heaped tablespoon flour
- Pinch of salt
METHOD
Pastry
- 1. Add flour, baking powder and sugar to a bowl.
- 2. Add the butter to the dry ingredients and rub together until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
- 3. Add the egg and 50ml of the sour cream. Combine well until it makes a firm dough. You may need to add more sour cream.
- 4. Place in the refrigerator to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- 5. Remove from the refrigerator and roll out so that it lines a 9” (23cm) spring form tin. Prick the dough with a fork to stop it from rising.
- 6. Place a piece of parchment paper and a pie-weight on top of the dough. You can use ceramic beans, but raw rice, dried peas, lentils, beans or other pulses can also be used.
- 7. Place tin foil around the top of the tin so that the edges are covered and do not burn.
- 8. Bake in a 200º C/400ºF oven for about 20 minutes until the pastry is cooked through and there are no greasy patches on the bottom. Whilst the pastry is cooking, prepare the filling. You should only add the filling once the pastry is cooked and cooled down.
Cheesecake
- 1. Place the curd/ricotta and mascarpone/cream cheese in a large mixing bowl.
- 2. Add the double cream and lightly mix in. Do not overmix – they should just come together.
- 3. Add the egg yolks and mix lightly. Then add the sugar and lemon zest and juice and mix together.
- 4. Finally add the flour and pinch of salt to the mixture and blend in.
- 5. Place the egg whites in a clean dry bowl. Beat until stiff and then fold them into the cheese mixture.
- 6. Pour this mixture onto the pre-baked pastry.
- 7. Bake in 140ºC (250-300ºF) oven for about 1 hour. Turn off oven and allow to stand for a further hour. Allow to cool to room temperature before eating.
Category
Recipes
